BP faced fresh controversy after shareholders filed a lawsuit against senior executives following the partial shutdown of its Prudhoe Bay oil field in Alaska.

BP was forced to halve the capacity of production at Prudhoe Bay -the largest oil field in the United States - after the discovery of corroded pipes last week.

BP chief executive Lord Browne of Madingley and a number of other senior executives now face legal action after shareholders alleged the company knew about the pipeline corrosion for years. The shareholders claim BP took no substantial steps to properly monitor and repair the pipes.